The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-03-26

Luff was the sensation of the da,
when l landed in Silverton.
My visit to this rough mining
town was a matter of business, ant
l was somewhat annoyed to fint
that the people were inclined t.
talk of nothing but the killing O
Henry Saxon and the trial of hi.
murderer.
But the story of his crime inter
ested me in spite of myself. Tn.
murder had occurred in the Metro
politan Hall, the very house in
which l had engaged room for 6
week.
The scene of the killing was the
room next to mine. Several days
before my arrival the room was oc.
cupied by John Luff and Henry
Saxon, two well known sporting
men, who had been making Silver
ton their headquarters during the
winter. The two were chums, but
sometimes they quarreled in their
cups, and it was no uncommon
thing for them to fight. After adj
justing their differences, however,
they generally tumbled into the
same bed and slept like brothers.
Their last quarrel had fatal termi-
nation. After a bout with their
fists in the hotel Office they retired
to their room. Later in the night
a loud shout caused several Of the
guests to rush in, and they saw a
spectacle that froze their blood.
On the bed was stretched the life
less form of Saxon, with a crimson
current gushing from his breast.
BY his side stood Luff, one hand
still bloody, and his manner be-
traying ungovernable fear and ex-
citement.
The Silverton miners and trades
men were not long in coming to a
conclusion. The coroner's jury
made it out a case of willful MUIR
der, and fastened the guilt upon
Luff. 1t was in vain that Luff ex-
pressed his horror. He declared
that some one had entered the
room. Awakened by noise, he
placed his hand on Saxon and felt
the warm blood flowing from the
wound. Springing to his feet he
turned on the light, and when he
saw his friend he gave a frenzied
cry for help.
OF course, nobody believed this
story. To make the matter worse,
small derringer belonging to Luff
was missing from its usual place
on the mantel. II was only too
evident that the murderer had
stabbed his friend to the heart with
this weapon and had then con-
cealed it. The room was searched,
but the dagger could not be found.
Doubtless Luff had thrown it into
the street, where it had been picked
up by some unknown person.
There is little delay about frontier
Justice when a victim is wanted,
and in this instance the whole
town clamored for one. Court
was in session, and Judge Pike
shared the general excitement. He
was one of the guests at the Metro
politan, and the fact that his room
was opposite the enc in which the
murder was committed naturally
his interest in the case.
With Judge Pike on the bench
there was little doubt concerning
the result. An indictment was
found in no time. and the trial
opened on the second day of my
stay in Silverton.
The defendants attorneys worked
for delay. They hoped that pro-
tracted trial would have the effect
of cooling the hot excitement of the
hour.
| spent the first day of the trial
i'm the court house, and watched
the defendant closely. Luff had a
rather good face. 1t was weak, but
not vicious, and, as l studied him,
| found myself sympathizing with
him.
That night / had singular ex-
perience. After supper / spent a
couple of hours in Judge Pixies
room, and it did not take me long
to come to the conclusion that his
honor was a very peculiar man.
There was something wrong about
him. He could not be called a
crank, but his nerves were evident
ly out of order, and it occurred to
me that he was liable to break
down at any time o
1t was past midnight when l
awoke. The moon streamed into
nv room, making every object in
it plainly visible. Feeling thirsty,
/ left my bed and went behind a
little screen in one corner OF the
room where the washstand stood to
get a drink of water. While l was
there / heard the door open softly.
This was not surprising, as the ho-
tel was a rude affair, and very few
of the doors were provided with
locks and keys The thought OF
Saxon's fate made me a little timid,